Denise Kingsmill, Baroness Kingsmill

Denise Patricia Byrne Kingsmill, Baroness KingsmillCBE (born 24 April 1947 née Byrne) is a British Labourpeer. She was appointed as a life peer in 2006[1] after an early legal career as a solicitor in employment law. She was born in New Zealand and emigrated to Wales during her childhood. She studied at Croesyceiliog School. Baroness Kingsmill holds a degree in Economics and Anthropology from Girton College, Cambridge. Baroness Kingsmill is a member of the Economic Affairs Committee.

While Deputy Chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (later known as The Competition Commission), Baroness Kingsmill chaired 20 inquiries into banking, cruise liners, equity underwriting, energy supply, and other subjects during her time at the Commission. She was appointed to this role in 1996, stepping down in Autumn 2003.[2]

Baroness Kingsmill undertook a number of cases relating to rights of women, while specialising in employment law and also acted in behalf of Peter Wood, founder of Direct Line and other leading business figures. She further undertook two inquiries for the government in gender equality and human capital management.[3]

Baroness Kingsmill has been awarded five honorary doctorates from universities across England, Scotland and Wales, including a doctorate from Cranfield University in 2007 in recognition of her distinguished achievements in business and in public life [6]).

Other roles she currently holds include:

non-executive director of IAG (International Airlines Group)

non-executive director of E.ON (German Energy Company)

non-executive director of KornFerry International (world’s largest executive search firm)

She has held other non-executive director and advisory roles, including Laing O’Rourke, Royal Bank of Scotland and Telewest Communications.

A former partner in a firm of London solicitors, Baroness Kingsmill, along with two other defendants - His Honour Judge Peter Clarke and DJ Freeman & Co Solicitors - was found liable for professional negligence by the Court of Appeal in 2001 for advice given in the late 1980s.[9] Baroness Kingsmill has said that she defends this as a 'professional judgment' which she would take again:[10]